Instagram just launched a new app that loops 1-second videos

The simple app allows you to simply press a button and record one second of video. Rather than just playing once and repeating, the clip plays, rewinds, and then repeats – hence the boomerang moniker. The shared video is actually four seconds long.

The rewinding aspect also ensures a perfect loop, and gives the video a GIF-like appearance. That’s also aided by the fact that the clips are recorded via a burst of stills rather than video, which lessens the chances for nasty compression artifacts.

In fact, it’s basically an entryway for filling up Instagram with reaction GIFs:

Boomerang is Instagram’s second video specific app, following last year’s Hyperlapse (if you don’t recall, that one lets you film silky smooth timelapse videos). They’re both neat features, and it’s kind of a shame they’re not integrated into the primary Instagram app, as it means a small percentage of Instagram’s 400 million+ users will actually try them out. Still, it’s nice to at least have the option.

Boomerang is available on iOS and Android today, so head on over to your respective app store now if you want to give it a shot.